Yahoo Lifestyle Padres fire manager Andy Green amid disappointing season
The San Diego Padres have fired manager Andy Green, general manager A.J. Preller announced Saturday.
The team announced bench coach Rod Barajas will serve as interim manager for the remainder of the 2019 season.
Change of direction for Padres
The 41-year-old Green was in his fourth season as Padres manager. He was chosen from an impressive group of final candidates that included the more experienced Ron Gardenhire, along with a pair of first-time hopefuls — Alex Cora and Scott Servais.
At the time, Preller felt Green’s style would mesh with the Padres’ vision to build a winning team. The ballclub still felt strongly about Green in 2017, giving him a two-year extension through the 2021 season. However, a disappointing 2019 has caused a change of direction.
“I want to thank Andy for his tireless work and dedication to the Padres over the last four seasons,” Preller said in a statement released by the Padres. “This was an incredibly difficult decision, but one we felt was necessary at this time to take our organization to the next level and expedite the process of bringing a championship to San Diego. Our search for a new manager will begin immediately.”
“Andy’s class, dignity and leadership through a difficult developmental period for our team should be applauded,” executive chairman Ron Fowler and general partner Peter Seidler said in a joint statement. “On behalf of the entire Padres organization, we wish Andy and the Green family the best.”
The Padres are 69-85 this season despite the addition of Manny Machado to a core of impressive young players.
Green will finish his tenure with a 276-364 record.
Padres job will have appeal
The next Padres manager will not be walking into a hopeless situation. Quite the opposite, in fact.
Preller and the Padres clearly feel like the team was positioned to contend after inking Eric Hosmer and Manny Machado to huge free-agent contracts the last two winters. With Fernando Tatis Jr. and Chris Paddack both looking like superstars in the making, the Padres should have four cornerstones in place for the foreseeable future.
The Padres also have a highly regarded farm system that will allow them to be big players in the trade market this winter should they chose to make another splash. As such, it wouldn’t be surprising to see some big names attached to San Diego’s search.
Let the speculation begin.
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